Collection of 10 “Must Try” Tofu recipes – Meatless Monday

It is #tofuday at Divine Spice Box kitchen and i am really excited to make yet another flavorful dish using Tofu. Tofu is one of the most loved “protein rich” ingredient for vegetarians/vegans all around. If there is one ingredient i always have in my refrigerator, its Tofu ! Why i love it? Well you can play with flavours all you want and Tofu just adapts to them. If you are one of those who find Tofu tasteless or boring, maybe you are either not using it to its potential or have had the company of some poor recipes. Well, today i am going to share with you the reason i love tofu and try to convince you give it another go with a collection of some of my ” Must Try” tofu recipes ! Have a read.

I have been a vegetarian all my life and have always struggled with nutrition balance. Back in India, my mother fed me lentils, Indian Cottage Cheese (Paneer) and nuts but it was not an easy task. When i started cooking for myself (about 4 yrs back), I began to pay more attention to the nutrition i was consuming. Soon i got to know about “Superfoods” such as Quinoa, Chia, Kale and Tofu !! From the appearance, Tofu looked pretty much like the Indian Paneer but due to its reputation of being “bland and boring”, i was a bit skeptical about trying it. I remember the first time i tried it, i simply roasted them on a skillet with some butter, salt and pepper and found it yum ! Since then, i have made it is in numerous ways and the more i work with Tofu, the more i fall in love with it and i am a true convert now.

Why i love Tofu ?

Tofu is protein rich which is really a no brainer but as a cook, i think Tofu is a very versatile ingredient. There are so many varieties to choose from – Silken (which works well for Smoothies, even to add to your cake batter), medium, firm and extra firm which makes it easy to adapt to various needs. Tofu, once water removed, is spongy and can soak up any flavours you add to it which means you can marinate it and use it to replace meats in various dishes and make it vegetarian. You can also fry, grill, toast and bake with Tofu – so really many possibilities. Without a doubt, my refrigerator always has a block of Tofu now… ready to be made into something awesome !!

I am sure you are getting excited to see what TOFU INSPIRATIONS i have for you today, so let us jump into the list right away ! Here are my 10 top dishes which i love to prepare with Tofu :

If all you have on hands is a block of Firm Tofu and 30 minutes, you can whip up this gorgeous take out dish at home and bring the flavours of your favorite Chinese eatery in your own kitchen. Suited for its name, this dish is hot, spicy and totally addictive. Serve it on a bed of rice (we recommend Jasmine/ Basmati) for the the perfect pairing ! The best part : you would need nothing else along ! Just a glass of water maybe 😛

One thing common between Eggplants and Tofu – they both soak up flavours really well and blends with just about any spice you like. This dish is fragrant and is a harmony of flavours -the sweet spicy notes of garlic, ginger, soy and sugar. This stir fry comes together really quick and the succulent, juicy eggplants goes really well with the tofu chunks. Make ahead or whip up a batch while your rice cooks.

Pastas make happy meals and this dish is going to top your charts of “Must try Pasta dishes”. Simple recipe but amazing flavours – Protein rich lentil pasta meets Thai curry loaded with crispy, pan fried Tofu which soaks up this delectable coconut curry sauce and makes everything amazing ! Do not hesitate to add a whole lot of Tofu . Make ahead and let the Tofu do its magic !

Apricot Mustard sauce might work well with meat marination but it also does a great job over Tofu ! Marinate it along with some sriracha and other sauces and you have a delicious marination to flavor your block of tofu before you stir fry them in this dish. The sweetness of the Apricots and the tartness of the mustard compliments each other pretty well and it is absorbed by the tofu, making it juicy and full of flavours. Serve with your favorite rice or go by our recommendation and whip up a batch of these 10 mins sesame garlic noodles

This is like the best quick meal ever ! It has all – the textures, the flavour, the colors and the aroma. This recipe is an absolute winner when it comes to easy-peasy recipes. Not only heavenly delicious and addictive, depending on what you plan to put in it, it can turn out to be a very healthy ,less oil dish. The creamy peanut sauce in this dish is full of complex flavors and tofu does a really great job of absorbing it all and making it the highlight of the dish.

Banh Xeo pronounced as Banh- say-oh is a Vietnamese street food crepe dish which is very popular in Vietnam. Usually served with pork, ham and/or shrimps, these crepes are loved by everyone. I am creating a meatless version here with an overload of veggies, goodness of Tofu and a tangy sweet-sour dipping sauce which the kids are bound to love.

This is my idea of an ideal one pot dish! This is just so amazing looking and taste even better. These Asian style soup”n” noodles has it all : spices, textures, play of colours !Enjoy a big bowl, absolutely guilt free. It is loaded with vegetables, chunky Tofu and has the bean goodness from red kidney beans and sprouts – all power packed in this amazing recipe. Feel free to load up on Tofu in this soup as the broth of this soup will make you fall in love with Tofu.

Pakoras/ Indian Fritters are amazing on its own but when you use Tofu to make Indian style fritters, you get the chance to marinate them first before you dip them in your spicy batter and fry away to goodness ! We are using a light lemon marination which is made with your pantry staples but packs a really punch of flavors and makes your Pakoras extraordinary !! Try it … coz you are going to love it !!

How about Naan for your Grilled Sandwich ? Transform your humble naan into a delicious and satisfying grilled sandwich with this Indian style Scrambled Tofu stuffing. This recipe uses Cheese but use a Vegan cheese to satisfy your cheesy cravings and make it into a vegan dish. This is Ideal for a weekend brunch. Enjoy with a big cup of fresh brewed Indian Masala Chai / Latte.

Vegetarian versions of Kathi rolls usually contain Paneer/ Indian cottage cheese with spicy gravy and lots of raw shredded veggies. For my Kathi roll though, i am making use of some firm tofu which in my opinion, does a much better job of making a succulent, juicy and flavorful stuffing for these rolls. Tofu soaks up the spice from the yogurt marination and cooks beautifully to capture all the flavors and aromas of an amazing tandoori dish. Try it !